A CRY.
A cry hit the vampire's ears causing her to halt precipitously. It was from her chamber. It sounded a lot like Ju. Panic swarmed her body as she hastily swung her door open, eyes immediately searching for the owl. When she caught his brown feathers peaking under the curtains, she exhaled in relief, rushing over where he stood.
"Ju?" She called out, receiving no response from the usually loud owl. "Ju, are you okay?" She repeated as she lifts the curtain up, taking a thorough scan on the owl.
It wasn't injured. Physically, it wasn't. Emotionally however, he was obviously hurting. Seulhyun could see his longing eyes looking at the scenery outside as his feathers itched. He wanted to reunite with Mrs. Kang. Companions couldn't be kept away from its owner for too long or else it will suffer emotionally.
Her throat clogged as she couldn't form words to soothe the suffering owl since she wasn't his owner. "I'm sorry, Ju." She genuinely apologized, "I wish I can set you free and let you return to Mrs. Kang, but..."
She couldn't seem to find the correct words as her sentence hang in the air. The owl turned to look at her and moved closer towards her hand, snuggling into her palm. "I'll discuss it with the king. Hopefully, His Highness will understand and let you go." She said with determination.
The latter walked out of the room and headed to the Great Hall until she saw a familiar prince closing the door to his room, accompanied by a few maids. Their eyes met as he fixed his belt, quirking a brow towards the vampire.
"Why aren't you in the Dining Hall?"
"Shouldn't I ask you that?" Seulhyun retorted.
Prince Niki huffed out. Not a single chance to have a civil conversation with the snappy vampire. "I just finished bathing," He pointed to his clothes, "as you can see."
"Now, answer my question." He told—almost ordering.
The brunette shrugged her shoulders, "I had to take care of something." She vaguely told.
"Well, that 'something' must've taken a while."
"Or you just bath really quickly."
The prince shook his head at the girl as she walked ahead of him, following her steps as she led him to the Great Hall. Seulhyun wondered what was so urgent for the king to arrange a meeting so suddenly. It was most likely about news from the South Kingdom.
Her feet buzzed as she worried for the news that were about to hit them.
When they stepped into the broad hall, the pair bowed to the king and went to their seats. Seulhyun seating next to Sunoo and Sunghoon while Prince Niki sat across her, in between Prince Jay and Jake. She noticed the eldest prince was nowhere to be seen as his seat was vacant. Where did he go?
As King Jungwon began his speech, Prince Sunoo leaned towards her and whispered, "You and Niki came in together?" A flair of disbelief graced his voice.
Seulhyun frowned at how that question sound. Although the prince didn't say it out loud, she knew what he was implying. "It's not what you think."
The blonde-haired prince moved away, arching a brow as he sipped on his water. The foreigner grimaced. She knew he didn't believe her. And that was going to be a fuss to deal with.
"-as I was saying, The King of Ollyn had sent me a letter earlier today and I have come to a conclusion that he doesn't know about the project his children are planning." He emphasized on the word project.
Somehow the atmosphere could turn frigid at any rate when the King of Enlypse spoke. His dark demeanor always manages to raise fear in the foreigner's heart. The way his eyes penetrated to every living being's soul frightened her. His Highness is certainly the most daunting prince out of the seven brothers—beside him, the King of Ollyn suddenly looks friendly.
"What made you think that?" Prince Niki was the first to question.
"He has assigned a place and time for a meeting about the former deal we had. Since the engagement between Princess Aera, his daughter, and me had been officially called off, many arrangements and plans we had previously made are in ruins."
"In his letter he had wrote a few topics regarding the relation between the two regions, and hoped we would discuss the recent feuds with deliberation and civility as the leaders of the regions." The king further explained.
Contrary to his modulated voice, his brothers were chattering to themselves of how atrocious the whole situation was. In that very moment, Seulhyun felt a wave of shame crash into her body. Why is the kingdom she came from so...
The princes' objections were silenced with a few taps on the table from the king. Sitting next to him was Haeyul, whose face was unreadable as her mouth was pressed in a thin line. From the very beginning of the meeting, she hasn't said a single word, which was unlike her.
Once the hall was quiet again, King Jungwon apprised, "The place where the meeting will be held is in the Ryu Village."
"WHAT?!"
Multiple princes sprung up to their feet as their wide eyes looked at their brother in terror. Seulhyun flinched at the sudden motion beside her as Prince Sunoo was now on his feet. At the corner of her eyes, she saw Queen Haeyul glanced at the princes with surprise.
"You're not going right?"
"You would be out of your mind if you are!"
"If you're going, we're all going."
"Jungwon, that is the hell's den!"
A hell's den. The infamous name for a small village, built on top of the tallest mountain in the world. "Jungwon, Kanyss was already a risky adventure but Ryu's Village? That's just-"
"Dragons infiltrates those mountains, Jungwon!" Sunoo raised his voice as if the message would pierce into the stubborn king's head. "At least the centaurs in Kanyss are more 'humane'. Dragons are a whole different thing!"
"Listen Jungwon, I get that we are vampires—one of the most powerful beings to live—but we don't stand a chance against monstrous beasts like murderous dragons whose first instincts is to devour you." Jay attempted to debate with logic, but the king sat still. Unfazed.
He glared at his brothers who have caused a commotion. "Will you let me speak?" He raised his brow.
A chill rushed down Seulhyun's spine as she swallowed hardly. What the hell. She didn't want to be in this setting. Everyone is so tense and one wrong move can cause an explosion from King Jungwon.
"You should sit down."
A soft voice blessed the austere mood. Queen Haeyul cracked her best effort for a smile and the princes settled back down on their chairs.
If only Seulhyun could rush to Haeyul and cave into her arms at that moment.
"The meeting will be held in Ryu Village since King Aspian has an investigation ongoing in that area. Unfortunately, the only free time he has is when he is in that location, so it's either we go and mend the relationship between Enlypse and Ollyn or we don't, resulting a potential uprising war."
"And for safety precautions, I already have it all handled." His Highness announced, "We will bring our strongest soldiers and Ms. Kim, if she'd like." His gaze landed on the foreigner.
What?
"Yang Jungwon." She heard the youngest prince forewarned. The two brothers made eye contact with each other as the tension brewed in the room. Suddenly the air was too thick for Seulhyun to breath in.
Everything. Everything suffocated her.
She didn't mind leaving for Ryu Village- no, she didn't mind at all actually, but the intensity of this meeting was eating her up. With every second, she felt trapped at the wrong place, in the wrong time.
It felt like a family brawl.
Especially when two brothers are in a dispute.
Sunoo offered her a glass of water before her panic could further dig into her body. "Drink up." He muttered softly and she did as he say, gulping on the clear drink.
"Kim Seulhyun is a witch and from what I've seen, her enchantments and spells have been improving in a rapid pace. With her skills, she can fight against a dragon without much help. Don't you think so?" Jungwon slightly grinned as he stared at Prince Niki.
Prince Niki stood on his feet, anger swarming his insides as he was ready to attack his older brother at any moment. His dark pair of orbs flickered to the outsider, whose eyes were stuck on him, as she waited for his answer.
"You sent someone to watch over her?" He gritted his teeth.
Jungwon shook his head at the accusation. "I did not. I sensed the vibrating energy that has travelled in the castle these past few days." He defended.
The king diverted his attention to Seulhyun, "Ms. Kim, would you like to join our journey to the Ryu Village?" As much as how Jungwon sounded a lot like a jerk right now, he knew better to ask consent first.
"It's your decision to make."
Seulhyun wore a stiff smile. "I would love to." Excitement traced her voice as she shared a smile with Haeyul.
Jungwon nodded his head, glad that everything worked along his plan, asking for his butler and whispered something into his ears.
On the other hand, Niki was boiling with anger. Just the thought of Seulhyun being in such a dangerous place like the mountains where dragons live in made his heart palpitated.
Yet seeing the pure excitement in the outsider's eyes melted most of his worries. He sighed in defeat. If that's what makes her happy.
"Jungwon, I did not disrupt nor hurt your peace, so I hope you do the same with mine." Niki stated as his eyes moved swiftly from his brother, to Haeyul and Seulhyun.
His statement caused his brothers to look at him with a stir of surprise and confusion. Jungwon smiled, nodding in understanding. "I have no intention to." He assured.
Meanwhile, Seulhyun's brow connected as confusion consumed her emotions. I did not disrupt nor hurt your peace, so I hope you do the same with mine.
What is that supposed to mean?
And why does she have a nagging feeling it has something to do with her?
Sunoo cheekily smiled at the girl next to him and bit back a teasing statement from pouring out his mouth.
"My peace." He snorted.
This was a very long one-
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